Night court idea gaining ground

Justice could be later but swifter - if a night court suggestion catches on in Whangarei.

Criminal lawyers have demanded action at Whangarei's courthouse -- and an increase in judge numbers -- as their clients are waiting increasingly longer for their cases to be heard.

Delays at the court came to a head last month when Kevin Phillip Hedges, 46, of Okaihau, facing the possibility of a ninth drink-driving conviction as well as an accompanying charge of driving while disqualified, was discharged.

Judge Barbara Morris dismissed the charges, saying the delay had brought the Whangarei courthouse and the court process into disrepute.

National's justice spokesman Richard Worth met justices of the peace and lawyers yesterday and came away saying he was not entirely convinced that more judges were the answer.

However, night courts would certainly help reduce the backlog, he said.

"The reality is that judges are appointed to try cases, but they have been turned into court administrators because not enough resources have been put into court administration," he said.

The Hedges case pointed to an appalling problem at the courthouse, despite the Justice Ministry rejecting claims from Whangarei lawyers that the court is in crisis.

Night courts, which are common in the United States, but unprecedented here, would help reduce the waiting times, Mr Worth said.

The lawyers he spoke to thought the idea of night courts was a radical proposal, but they were not closed to it.

"That's constructive," he said.

Auckland District Law Society Northland representative Wayne Peters, who was at the meeting, said lawyers would not dismiss the idea of night courts, but a lot more work would have to be done on it.

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)